Table 2.
Characteristics of the sample at baseline
| Study arm, n (%) or mean±SD | |||
| Control (n=301) | Group (n=160) | Combined (n=160) | |
| Caregiver characteristics | |||
| Age | 25±5.6 | 25±6.4* | 25±6.2 |
| Completed primary education | 173 (57%) | 86 (54%) | 101 (63%) |
| Pregnant woman enrolled | 61 (20%) | 32 (20%) | 33 (21%) |
| CES-D score (0–60) | 12.4±8.6 | 12.8±8.7* | 13.4±9.7 |
| Knowledge of lead | 67 (22%) | 47 (29%) | 49 (31%) |
| Child characteristics (n=496) | |||
| Age (in months) | 7.0±3.9 | 6.7±3.9 | 7.5±4.0 |
| Female | 134 (56%) | 78 (61%) | 66 (52%) |
| FCI Play activities subscale (0–6)‡ | 3.3±1.7 | 3.8±1.4 | 3.4±1.6 |
| FCI Play materials subscale (0–6)‡ | 2.1±1.1‡‡ | 2.2±1.0 | 2.2±1.2 |
| Home observation subscale (0–11)‡ | 7.9±1.5 | 8.1±1.4 | 8.2±1.3 |
| 1+children’s book(s) present in home (n=288)‡ | 16 (11%) | 9 (14%)§§ | 6 (8%) |
| MUAC <12.5 cm (n=296)‡ | 11 (8%)¶¶ | 6 (8%)§§ | 7 (9%) |
| Household characteristics | |||
| Household size | 5.2±2.2 | 5.3±2.6 | 5.2±2.0 |
| Number of children 2–15 years | 1.3 (1.2) | 1.2 (1.1)* | 1.2 (1.2) |
| Has cement floor | 65 (22%) | 28 (18%) | 26 (16%) |
| Has brick walls | 74 (25%) | 27 (17%) | 26 (16%) |
| Has electricity | 243 (81%) | 150 (94%) | 139 (87%) |
| WASH | |||
| Access to a handwashing station with water and soap or soapy water | 62 (21%) | 36 (23%) | 33 (21%) |
| Access to a hygienic latrine§ | 102 (34%) | 59 (37%) | 43 (27%) |
| Use of potty‡¶ (n=297) | 35 (24%)¶¶ | 16 (22%) | 22 (28%) |
| Nutrition | |||
| Maternal number of food groups | 5.0±1.3 | 4.9±1.3 | 5.0±1.4 |
| Maternal minimum dietary diversity** | 182 (60%) | 88 (55%) | 101 (63%) |
| Child number of food groups (n=272)‡ | 3.8±1.5 | 3.7±1.4‡‡ | 4.1±1.4 |
| Child minimum dietary diversity‡†† (n=272) | 45 (35%) | 19 (29%)‡‡ | 28 (37%)*** |
*n=159, 1 participant did not respond.
†Including index children born as of the baseline assessment.
‡Index children >6 months of age at baseline included (n=296, control=144, group=73, mixed=79), unless otherwise indicated.
§Clean, functional, Hygienic latrine. Government of Bangladesh National Sanitation Strategy, 2005 definition of hygienic latrine: Flush or pour-flush toilet/latrine to (1) Piped sewer system or (2) Septic tank; Pit latrine with slab and water seal; Pit latrine with slab and lid, no water seal; Pit latrine with slab and flap, no water seal; ventilated improved Pit latrine; composting latrine.
¶Use of potty for >50% of defecation events in last week.
**Mother reported eating 5 or more food groups in the last 24 hours, out of the following 10 groups: grains, roots and tubers, pulses, nuts and seeds, dairy products, animal flesh foods, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, other vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables, other vegetables, other fruits.
††Children >6 months reported eating 5 or more food groups in the last 24 hours, out of the following groups: breast milk, grains, roots and tubers, legumes and nuts, dairy products, animal flesh foods, eggs, vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables, other fruits and vegetables.
‡‡n=143
§§n=66
¶¶n=145
***n=76
CES-D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies 20 Question Depression questionnaire, scores range from 0-60, with higher scores indicating more depressive symptoms experienced; FCI, Family Care Indicators, the play activities subscale is a sum score of the number of play activities that the caregiver participated in with the child in the previous three days (0-6), the play materials subscale is the number of varieties of play materials observed in the home, and reported that the child played with in the last 30 days (0-6); MUAC, Mid-upper arm circumference; WASH, water, sanitation and hygiene.